IRVINE – It had been a rough night for UC Irvine guard Daman Starring.

The senior had gone 3 for 10 from the floor, 1 for 5 from the free-throw line and was forced to switch into a different jersey at halftime after suffering a cut on the ear, which bloodied his original No. 22.

But when it was crunch time, he more than made up for his early struggles.

With UCI trailing by two, Starring scored the tying basket with 3 seconds left in regulation and then made his first two shots in overtime to give the Anteaters the spark they needed to sneak past UC Davis, 69-58, Saturday evening in the Big West opener at Bren Center.

The Anteaters (7-7, 1-0) called a timeout with six seconds left to draw up a play.

Starring received the inbound pass and drove to the basket, banking in a floater that sent the game into overtime.

He opened overtime with a 3-pointer from the wing, and on UCI's next possession, he buried a 15-foot jumper from the baseline to put the Anteaters up by 5.

"I guess I was just pumped from the end of regulation," said Starring, who finished with a team-high 15 points.

"(Daman) was a go-to player tonight, which is a big step for him," UCI coach Russ Turner said. "Adam Folker was a go-to player too on the interior, on the offensive end and the defensive end. That's what seniors in college basketball do."

Folker also scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

His presence in the lane was a major reason the Anteaters pitched a shutout in the overtime period, as UC Davis (4-8, 0-1) went 0 for 8 in the extra 5 minutes.

"We've asked our guys to put into the identity of being a defensive team and a rebounding team," Turner said. "We were really good on the offensive boards in the first half to get a lead, but we didn't hold that lead well."

The Anteaters jumped to a nine-point lead five minutes into the game, scoring on six of their first eight possession.

UCI's Will Davis II takes the ball to the basket during a game against UC Davis at the Bren Center on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI's Michael Wilder takes the ball to the basket during a home game against UC Davis on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI guard Chris McNealy carries the ball up the court during a home game against UC Davis on Saturday. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI's Will Davis II shoots over UC Davis defenders during a game at the Bren Center on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI's Will Davis II catches and dunks an alley-oop pass during a game against UC Davis at the Bren Center on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI's Michael Wilder takes the ball to the basket during a home game against UC Davis on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI center Adam Folker shoots over UC Davis' Josh Ritchart during Saturday's game at the Bren Event Center. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI's Will Davis II takes the ball to the basket during a game against UC Davis at the Bren Center on Saturday night. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER
UCI guard Chris McNealy shoots the ball during Saturday's game against UC Davis at the Bren Center. JEFF ANTENORE, FOR THE REGISTER

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